第26章

DoyoueverseeanythingofMrsBeaufoy，MrBloomasked。

MinaPurefoy？shesaid。

PhilipBeaufoyIwasthinking。Playgoers’club。Matchamoftenthinksofthemasterstroke。DidIpullthechain？Yes。Thelastact。

Yes。

Ijustcalledtoaskonthewayinissheoverit。She’sinthelying-inhospitalinHollesstreet。DrHornegotherin。She’sthreedaysbadnow。

O，MrBloomsaid。I’msorrytohearthat。

Yes，MrsBreensaid。Andahousefulofkidsathome。It’saverystiffbirth，thenursetoldme。

O，MrBloomsaid。

Hisheavypityinggazeabsorbedhernews。Histongueclackedincompassion。

Dth！Dth！

I’msorrytohearthat，hesaid。Poorthing！Threedays！That’sterribleforher。

MrsBreennodded。

ShewastakenbadontheTuesday……

MrBloomtouchedherfunnybonegently，warningher。

Mind！Letthismanpass。

Abonyformstrodealongthecurbstonefromtheriver，staringwitharaptgazeintothesunlightthroughaheavystringedglass。Tightasaskullpieceatinyhatgrippedhishead。Fromhisarmafoldeddustcoat，astickandanumbrelladangledtohisstride。

Watchhim，MrBloomsaid。Healwayswalksoutsidethelampposts。

Watch！

Whoisheifit’safairquestion，MrsBreenasked。Ishedotty？

HisnameisCashelBoyleO’ConnorFitzmauriceTisdallFarrell，MrBloomsaid，smiling。Watch！

Hehasenoughofthem，shesaid。Deniswillbelikethatoneofthesedays。

Shebrokeoffsuddenly。

Thereheis，shesaid。Imustgoafterhim。Goodbye。RemembermetoMolly，won’tyou？

Iwill，MrBloomsaid。

Hewatchedherdodgethroughpasserstowardstheshop-fronts。DenisBreeninskimpyfrockcoatandbluecanvasshoesshuffledoutofHarrison’shuggingtwoheavytomestohisribs。Blowninfromthebay。Likeoldtimes。

Hesufferedhertoovertakehimwithoutsurpriseandthrusthisdullgreybeardtowardsher，hisloosejawwaggingashespokeearnestly。

Meshuggah。Offhischump。

MrBloomwalkedonagaineasily，seeingaheadofhiminsunlightthetightskullpiece，thedanglingstick，umbrella，dustcoat。Goingthetwodays。Watchhim！Outhegoesagain。Onewayofgettingonintheworld。

Andthatotheroldmoseylunaticinthoseduds。Hardtimeshemusthavewithhim。

U。P。：up。I’lltakemyoaththat’sAlfBerganorRichieGoulding。WroteitforalarkintheScotchhouse，Ibetanything。RoundtoMenton’soffice。

Hisoystereyesstaringatthepostcard。Beafeastforthegods。

HepassedtheIrishTimes。Theremightbeotheranswerslyingthere。Liketoanswerthemall。Goodsystemforcriminals。Code。Attheirlunchnow。Clerkwiththeglassestheredoesn’tknowme。O，leavethemtheretosimmer。Enoughbotherwadingthroughforty-fourofthem。Wantedsmartladytypisttoaidgentlemaninliterarywork。IcalledyounaughtydarlingbecauseIdonotlikethatotherworld。Pleasetellmewhatisthemeaning。Pleasetellmewhatperfumedoesyourwife。Tellmewhomadetheworld。Thewaytheyspringthosequestionsonyou。AndtheotheroneLizzieTwigg。MyliteraryeffortshavehadthegoodfortunetomeetwiththeapprovaloftheeminentpoetA。E。(MrGeoRussell)。Notimetodoherhairdrinkingsloppyteawithabookofpoetry。

Bestpaperbylongchalksforasmallad。Gottheprovincesnow。Cookandgeneral，exccuisine，housemaidkept。Wantedlivemanforspiritcounter。

Respgirl(R。C。)wishestohearofpostinfruitorporkshop。JamesCarlislemadethat。Sixandahalfpercentdividend。MadeabigdealonCoates’sshares。Ca’canny。CunningoldScotchhunks。Allthetoadynews。Ourgraciousandpopularvicereine。BoughttheIrishFieldnow。LadyMountcashelhasquiterecoveredafterherconfinement